"USF is traditionally a strong program, so it's exciting to get a quality opponent on the schedule for our players and the fans." - UW head coach Gary Andersen

Home-and-home deal set with South Florida

Madison - Looking to improve its non-conference football schedule and bolster its recruiting efforts in Florida, Wisconsin has agreed to a two-game deal with South Florida.

The home-and-home deal, announced Friday by officials from both schools features UW hosting South Florida in 2014 (Sept. 27) and playing in Tampa in 2017 (Sept. 16).

"We obviously recruit a lot in the state of Florida, and these games will be great for our exposure down there," UW head coach Gary Andersen said in a release. "USF is traditionally a strong program, so it's exciting to get a quality opponent on the schedule for our players and the fans."

UW and South Florida have never met in football. The Bulls have been to six bowl games in the last eight years and have won at least eight games in five of the last seven seasons.

However, the Bulls made a coaching change after finishing 1-6 in the Big East and 3-9 overall in 2012 under Skip Holtz.

Holtz, 5-16 in the league and 16-21 overall in three seasons, was fired. He was replaced by Willie Taggart, who resurrected the Western Kentucky program in his three seasons there.

His overall record at Western Kentucky was only 16-20, but the Hilltoppers had lost 20 consecutive games before Taggart took over.

Meanwhile, a decision to play nine Big Ten games rather than eight could come soon.

UW athletic director Barry Alvarez, told CBSsports.com that Big Ten presidents and chancellors could vote on the change, which would be implemented in 2016, sometime next week. The Big Ten annual spring meetings are set for May 13-15 in Chicago.

Alvarez has talked about the likely move from eight to nine league games in football, which is on the table because Maryland and Rutgers are set to join the Big Ten in 2014. Alvarez prefers going to nine league games rather than 10, which also had been discussed.

The only downside to playing nine league games is that some teams will have five league games at home and others will have only four.

Asked earlier this year about the potential change, Andersen made it clear he would prefer nine games.

"If we go to 10 there's going to be a lot of sore kids," he said. "I'll tell you that much. If you're in this league and you're going to play that many games, it's going to be very difficult. There's a lot of games to be played. . . ..

"I don't personally see it going to 10. I just think that's going to be a very difficult scenario as they move forward. Again, I'm in for whatever they throw down on it. So whatever we got to do, we'll line up and play."

League officials are expected to vote this spring on realigned divisions to include Maryland and Rutgers. The divisions are expected to be based on geography.

Alvarez said in February he expects UW to be placed in a western division with Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois and Purdue.